Atonement and the Learning Curve
by The Yank and The Brit
Summary: #03 in the Diesel and Steph series. Steph needs to make amends.


**Atonement and the Learning Curve**

**By JanG.**

**Disclaimer:** The characters from the world of Stephanie Plum are the sole property of the very talented author: Janet Evanovich. I have only borrowed and do not wish to make money off of them. This story, however, is copyrighted to the mentioned author. This story is for entertainment purposes ONLY.

**Author's Note: **This was written in response to Jeanne's Challenge on PerfectlyPlum. The prompt line that had to be used was "It doesn't get much better than this." This story is the third in an alternate universe that I have created; it follows on from my story '_Truth and Regrets'_.

Many thanks to AmyF, for beta'ing this piece for me, she kept me on track and helped make this a whole lot better than it would have been without her help. Lastly, thank you to Kate (MMO) who has given me so much support and encouragement.

**Rating: **NC17 Smut warning

**ooo000ooo**

"This is NOT easy!"

"I know, hon. I never said it was going to be. But I know you'll get the hang of it, eventually."

I love Diesel, I really do, but sometimes I just want to slap him. Of all my new found powers, this teleporting thing is the most difficult to get the hang of.

Diesel had been teaching me how to get a handle on my Unmentionable powers ever since he simultaneously told me I was an Unmentionable and asked me to marry him. While I've accepted that I'm special, I'm still keeping him on hold about the marriage proposal.

"Steph, you've really got to empty your mind and concentrate."

"If my mind is empty what am I supposed to concentrate on?"

"Okay, okay, I see your problem. Try concentrating on a person or a place and empty your mind of all other thoughts. Tell you what, I'll go into the bedroom and you concentrate on me and see if you can pop in there and join me."

"I think if I concentrate on you in my bedroom, my thoughts would be X-rated!"

"Well, at least we'd know you were only concentrating on me." He winked at me before kissing me lightly on the cheek.

Diesel turned around, and I watched him saunter down the hallway to my bedroom and shut the door. I closed my eyes and tried to think of nothing. Then I thought of Diesel, which led me to thinking of Diesel with no clothes on, and of course my mind went from there to naked Diesel wearing me! I felt a strange pulling motion, and sensed that I wasn't in the living room any more. Cracking open my eyes, there was Diesel wearing a huge smile and nothing else!

He picked me up and swung me around. I reveled in the feel of his skin next to mine. Wait a minute! Skin to skin? Sure enough, when I looked down I saw that I was naked too.

Diesel gave me a smacking kiss on my lips. "My darling, not only have you gotten the hang of 'popping' but I think we've discovered another hidden power. However, we've also discovered a drawback."

I looked around. I was in my bedroom with Diesel and we were both naked. "What drawback? I can't see any drawback." I reached down and gave his gorgeously tight ass a squeeze.

"Sweetheart, where are our clothes?" His eyes were sparkling.

"Umm... Oops!" I disentangled myself from his arms, opened the bedroom door and walked back to the living room. There, in a pile on the floor, were my clothes, but there was no sign of Diesel's. Turning to look at Diesel, I reluctantly closed my eyes and pictured him with his clothes on. I was still picturing how good he looked in a tight pair of jeans when he started kissing me like there was no tomorrow.

"I preferred being naked with you but this is good too." He punctuated his words with kisses and I felt his hands on my ass. "I'm so proud of you."

I couldn't believe what I saw once I finally opened my eyes. "I did that?"

He had a huge grin on his face as he nodded. Diesel was fully dressed. I however, was still naked. I gathered up my clothes from the floor and started to get dressed. Pulling on my jeans I caught sight of Diesel's face, he looked so crestfallen anyone would think I had taken away his favorite toy. Well in a way, I had. I had to laugh. "Don't look at me like that D, you can get me naked again tonight. I promise."

I sat down on the couch and looked up at my superhero boyfriend. "Where did your clothes go? I mean I know they weren't on you, they weren't in the bedroom and they weren't out here with mine. So where did they go?"

Diesel sat down next to me and hugged me to his side. "Perhaps you shouldn't try that again until you refine it, huh?"

"Or at least, not until you start keeping some clothes here."

We were silent for a few moments while we both considered the implications of that statement. Then denial set in and I decided to ignore those implications. A change of subject was needed – fast.

"Do you think I should try to teleport over a longer distance now?"

"It might be a good idea. Try for something familiar first, like your parents' house. You need to picture a place that you won't be seen materializing. I'll be right behind you."

Once again, I closed my eyes, this time I pictured my parents' back yard, just outside the kitchen door and out of sight of the neighbors. When I opened my eyes that's exactly where I was. A fraction of a second later Diesel arrived. Putting his arms around me, he kissed my forehead. "By George, I think she's got it!"

I opened the back door to my parents' house and walked in. I was immediately assailed by the smells of my childhood. Cooking and laundry. Some things never change. My mother was coming into the kitchen and stopped short on a sharp intake of breath. Putting her hand over her heart, she stared at the two of us. "Where did you come from? I didn't hear a car."

I looked at Diesel for inspiration. He just shrugged. "Oh... umm.... we were out for a walk so we decided to visit for coffee and cake."

I saw my mother's gaze fall on Diesel briefly, before she resumed bustling around the kitchen. I didn't need my empathic abilities to know what she was thinking. She didn't know what to make of Diesel. He was a stranger to her, and on top of that, he was beyond her understanding; almost like Ranger, but in her eyes even worse. She'd only met him a few times and her opinion of him hadn't improved a whole lot since her first impression, which hadn't been very favorable.

The way she saw it, it was Diesel's fault that I'd gotten trapped in a building that had collapsed, that their Christmas tree burned had down, then a few months later, we pop in and announce we're getting married. She hadn't known at the time, but it had really been just a ruse to get Albert Kloughn to marry my sister, but I know the whole affair had left a bad taste in my mother's mouth. Marriage was sacred and wasn't something to make light of, my first marriage to the Dickhead not withstanding.

And then there was this last time, when Grandma had run off to Atlantic City with a sack load of money and got kidnapped and we had gotten into a gun fight an incident that made the Burg grapevine in record time. She definitely blamed Diesel for that one. Then to top it all off, he seemed to accept Mary Alice's strange quirk of being a horse as almost normal.

I also knew, deep down, she secretly harbored a wish that Joe and I would get back together. Joe came from the Burg, and both he and my mother had the same ideas of what a wife should be.

My mother put two plates with chocolate cake on the table. "I ran into Mrs. Morelli yesterday." Damn my mother must be able to read minds too.

I rolled my eyes, and braced myself for what was coming next. "She told me that Joe is very unhappy. She never sees him anymore, not since the scandal," I watched her eyes move back towards Diesel and before fixing her gaze on me, "he's been working non-stop. You know, I'm sure if you were to apologize to Joe, you could make everything all right again. He still loves you, and...

I'd had enough. Any future with Joe was a pipe dream, and she needed to know that. "Mom, stop." I fixed her with a no-nonsense stare. "Please listen to me. I mean, really listen to what I'm going to say." I took Diesel's hand in mine and held it tight. "Diesel has asked me to marry him, and while I haven't said yes yet, I also haven't said no. I love him, and we're together. Joe is no longer part of my life, except as a friend." I added 'I hope' to myself, because I hadn't yet talked to him about what he had witnessed that day in my bedroom, a few weeks ago, when he'd caught me and Diesel in the act.

"But what do you know about Diesel?" I rolled my eyes again. I love my mother, but sometimes she just doesn't think. I mean, what kind of question is that to ask right in front of someone.

"I know I love him and want to spend the rest of my life with him." I just wasn't sure about the marriage part. "He's got a good education. He graduated from M.I.T."

I could tell my mother wasn't entirely impressed by that. She'd lived here in the Burg all her life. To her, success was measured by what the gossip mill considered important, things like growing up in the Burg and being a graduate of the local high school.

"Mrs. Plum," Diesel squeezed my hand as he spoke. "I realize you barely know me, but I promise you that that I will do everything within my power to make Stephanie happy; I will never knowingly hurt her; and she will never want for anything."

That seemed to mollify my mother somewhat because she finally stopped harping on about Joe, and until we left some thirty minutes later, we chatted comfortably about Val and girls, and Grandma Mazur's latest funeral escapades.

Diesel and I left by the front door and we walked down the street away from the house. I couldn't stop thinking about what Diesel had said. Oh, I know he would want to make me happy and he wouldn't ever hurt me on purpose, but what I wanted clarification on was the 'never wanting for anything' bit.

"Diesel? Who pays your salary? I mean how do you live?"

"I have a trust fund plus I write software. Games mostly. It pays pretty well and I can make my own hours. Were you worried about money?"

"No. Just curious."

Diesel stopped, pulled me towards him and kissed the tip of my nose. "C'mon, let's get back to your apartment. I think I'd like you to try that new power of yours again!" We 'popped' at the same time and instantly we were in my living room. Maybe I was getting the hang of 'popping' after all.

I was still in his arms, so I concentrated hard on our clothes. I didn't even feel anything except one moment I was being held by Diesel, fully clothed, and the next we were skin to skin. I buried my face into his neck as he ran his hands up and down my back, each downward stroke ending on my ass.

"That's one hell of a party trick, Steph." I giggled slightly as he slid one arm around my shoulders and the other behind my knees. Picking me up, he carried me into the bedroom. I guess Lula and Tank aren't the only ones who can fit in a nooner from time to time.

**ooo000ooo**

I was pleasantly dozing, snuggled up to Diesel with his arm cuddling me to his side. "D."

"Hmm?"

I poked him gently in the ribs with my finger. "D, wake up."

"Ouch. Okay, you've got my attention, stop poking!"

"I've been thinking about something my mom said."

Diesel kissed the top of my head. "Your mom said a lot of things, most, if not all, not very flattering to yours truly."

"I know, and I'm really sorry about that." He shook his head, letting me know that I wasn't responsible for what my mother had said. I sat up facing him and pulled the sheet up over my lap. "I meant what she said about Joe. I haven't spoken to him since he walked in on us last month. I've been feeling really bad about that whole scene. It was a horrible way to end things with him. Joe's been a big part of my life since I was a kid and I'd really like to keep his friendship."

"If I knew where my pants were, I'd hand you my cell so you could call him and ask him to meet us for dinner at Pino's."

"Oh, this time I know where our clothes are." I smiled as I rolled out of bed and walked over to the laundry hamper. Opening the lid, I pulled out both his and my clothes. "I'm sorry, I still don't know where your clothes from earlier went."

"They'll turn up eventually." He was stretched out on the bed in his full naked glory and looking totally edible.

"I'm going to take a quick shower and then I'll call Joe."

"No Hon, call him now and I'll come and scrub your back for you."

I leant over him letting my breasts brush his chest and gave him a peck on the mouth. "Promise?"

He handed me his phone. "Call him."

**ooo000ooo**

Diesel was driving my Escape to Pino's to meet Joe, and I was kicked back in the passenger seat. If I'd been any more relaxed I'd have been asleep.

It was all Diesel's fault of course. I'd called Joe and arranged to meet him for dinner, which hadn't been easy. I had almost resorted to pleading, but he agreed before I had to stoop that low. After I'd hung up with Joe, I followed Diesel into the bathroom. He was bending over the tub with his back to me, getting the water up to temperature. I knew he'd heard me come in, but I was in no hurry to give up my grandstand view of his fabulous ass.

He turned the knob and hot water sprayed out of the shower head. Standing up and turning to face me he held out his hand for mine. Together we stepped into the tub and he pulled me up against his hard body. Lowering his head, he kissed me as the water cascaded over us, running in rivulets down our bodies. Kissing under a shower is an incredibly erotic experience, the water heightens the senses.

I made a small moan of displeasure as his mouth left mine, but quickly realized as his lips made their way down my neck and sucked at the sensitive spot where my neck joins my shoulder, that he had something else in mind. He kissed his way down my neck and sucked at the sensitive spot where my neck joins my shoulder. Even with the hot water pounding down on us, I shivered. Slowly he made his way down my body, biting gently on a nipple on the way down. I braced myself against the tiles as he got down on his knees, his fingers stroking the curls and tender flesh at the juncture of my thighs. His tongue quickly followed where his fingers had led, making little circles around my clit.

I could feel the stirrings of my body as it reacted to his gentle ministrations. My legs started to tremble as he pushed one long finger up into me and started sucking on my clit. From deep inside I could feel my orgasm building and as he found my g-spot and bit down gently on me, the waves of my orgasm crashed over me. He continued sucking on me, drawing out my pleasure until I thought I was going to faint. I could barely move, I felt boneless. Still leaning back against the wall, I watched him reach around me to get the wash cloth, and using some shower gel he started to wash me. My skin was super sensitive and the experience was a continuation of our love making.

We had finally made it out of my apartment in time to get to Pino's for dinner with Joe.

Now that we were nearly at the restaurant I realized I had a problem. Joe would know the second he saw me that I'd just had mind blowing sex. Diesel seemed to sense my unease, because he reached across the consol and captured my hand in his.

"Don't worry about it Steph, if he thinks we just got out of bed then it might make him realize that we're a couple, and he doesn't have a hope in hell of getting you back."

I was surprised, I didn't think he could read minds. "How did you know what I was thinking?"

"You have a very expressive face. That's one of the reasons I love to watch you when you come. It's the sexiest thing I've ever seen."

He pulled into the parking lot and found a spot right near the entrance. I started to get out but hesitated when I felt his light touch on my arm. Either he was really trying to be a gentleman, or he didn't think I was alert enough to get out on my own. I smiled at him as he got out and made his way around to the passenger side. Opening my door, he reached out his hand and helped me down from the vehicle.

Locking the car he draped an arm around my shoulders and led me into the restaurant. Once inside, he dropped his arm but took hold of my hand and we made our way to a table at the back. Unlike Joe or Ranger, Diesel didn't choose a seat facing the room and I sat next to him. I wanted to be facing Joe when I talked to him, and I wanted Diesel next to me for moral support.

We ordered a pitcher of beer and pizza, enough for three. We sat there with Diesel idly playing with my fingers as my hand rested in his on the table top. Neither of us felt much like talking.

We knew the instant Joe walked in the place even though we sat with our backs to the door. A hush had fallen over the diners and the silence was deafening. Diesel gave my hand a gentle squeeze and then let go. I looked up as Joe stepped up to the table.

"Hello Joe." He looked tired. I guess the rumors had been true; he had been throwing himself into his work.

"Hello Cupc... Steph."

"No Joe, you can still call me Cupcake. It sounds natural coming from you. Sit down, we've ordered pizza."

Diesel nodded to Joe and offered him the pitcher of beer, which Joe accepted with only a slight scowl marring his handsome features.

Silence. None of us knew how to start this conversation. We all knew what had to be said, but the how was escaping us. Joe, brave as ever, stepped up to the plate first.

"I guess the invitation is in the mail?"

He'd lost me. "What?"

"The wedding invitation. Is it in the mail?

Oh boy, this was going to be awkward. "There isn't one... I mean... there will be, just not yet."

Joe seemed satisfied with that answer as he let out a sigh and looked at Diesel. "She'll lead you on, take your heart and then rip it up just like she did to me."

Diesel decided it was prudent to stay silent. I however, had no such scruples. "Joe, now that's just plain unfair. I loved you, you know I did. I still do. It's just not the same kind of love that I have for Diesel. As much as I hate to admit it, ours was never the 'forever' kind of love. You know that. Deep down, you really know that."

Joe had his cop face on. Ranger had a version of that too. Blank. No emotion. It's not something I've ever been able to perfect. I had to know what he was thinking. If I asked him he was just going to say what he thought I wanted to hear. So I opened my mind and tried to feel him. I let everything go and listened for his thoughts. Only it didn't happen as easily as it had when I had tried it with Ranger. Then it had just been the two of us in the vehicle. Now I was sitting in a busy restaurant. The emotions poured into me from all sides. It was so loud. I couldn't sort it out. I felt like shouting at them all to shut up.

Diesel realized what I was trying to do and he put a hand on my thigh and whispered, "don't try it here, close your mind or it'll drive you crazy."

I nodded and tried to concentrate on my pizza, which had arrived a few moments before. Slowly the noise receded and I gave a sigh of relief.

Joe looked at me with a worried frown. "What just happened?"

I glanced at Diesel and he nodded at me. I guess that meant he wanted me to explain.

"This isn't going to be easy to explain, Joe, but I'll try. There are some people in the world that have been given extra gifts. In general these people use their gifts for good. Diesel is one of these people and... and so am I." I finished on a whisper. I wasn't sure if Joe had heard me or not.

"What kind of gifts are we talking about here? I mean we're not talking money are we?"

Thankfully Diesel stepped in to rescue me. "No, Detective Morelli, we're not talking money. We're talking about being able to talk to animals, being able to move things with the mind, or in Steph's case being empathic. Steph can sense another person's feelings, and just now she was trying to find out exactly what you were feeling behind that professional face you were wearing. But it's busy here, and emotions are running high amongst all the cops that have just come off shift and she got overloaded. It was like she had a thousand people all screaming at once inside her head. It's all new to her and she's still refining the ability."

Joe's face was no longer impassive. And I didn't need my powers to know what he was feeling. He was incredulous. Incredulous and angry.

"Is that why you're with him? Because he tells you lies that you want to hear?"

"No, Joe. First he's not lying, and secondly I'm with him because I love him. I'm sorry you had to walk in on us just as we were discovering how we felt about each other. I really wish you could have found out some other way. But what's done is done and now I want, no I need, your friendship back. You're part of my life Joe, I can't let that go. I don't want to lose you."

"I don't know Cupcake. I need time. When I walked in to your apartment that day... what I saw, hurt. I'm still angry and hurt." He stood up to go. At least he wasn't shouting.

Standing up as well I stepped over to him. Reaching up, I placed a gentle chaste kiss on his mouth. "Bye Joe. Please, don't be a stranger."

He ran a finger caressingly over my cheek. "I need time, Steph. I still love you and I think I'll always love you. But I realize that you would never have been really happy conforming to the Burg way of life and I'm sorry for that." He gave me a sad smile and he walked out of Pino's. I only hoped he wasn't walking out of my life as well.

I sat back down and rested my head against Diesel's shoulder. I was emotionally drained. I felt Diesel's arm go around me and his hand start to stroke my arm, lifting my head I placed a kiss on his cheek. "D, take me home and make love to me. Please." For once he didn't make a cocky remark, he just paid for our food and led me back out to the car.

**ooo000ooo**

Neither of us had talked on the drive back to my apartment. Talking with Joe, trying to clear the air with him, and been difficult, to put it mildly. It had to have been difficult for Diesel as well. I mean he had to sit at a table with a former lover of mine. That couldn't have been comfortable for him.

We took the elevator up to the second floor and on reaching the door to my apartment, I didn't bother with my key. I held my hand to the lock for a few seconds and I heard the tumblers fall into place. Diesel pushed the door open and pulled me inside. Closing the door and locking it behind us, he pulled me into his arms. I had closed my eyes to concentrate on our clothes when I felt Diesel's lips on my eyelids.

"Open your eyes Steph. There's no rush, we have all night. I'm going to take my time and undress you slowly, kissing each part of you that I uncover. I love you, Stephanie Plum."

I reached up and put my arms around his neck, burying my hands in his hair which he'd started to grow long again. He kissed me then, his tongue stroking mine. Breaking the kiss, he reached up behind his head to bring my hands down from around his neck and led me into the bedroom.

Stopping by the bed he turned to face me. Grabbing the hem of my T-shirt, he tugged it up and over my head. Lowering his head to my shoulder he pressed butterfly kisses along my shoulder until he reached my bra strap. Pulling it aside with one finger, he continued kissing until the strap was resting on my arm instead of my shoulder. Then he did the exact same thing on my other shoulder. With a quick action of his fingers on the clasp at my back, the bra fell away. Gently he rubbed his palms against my nipples making them harder than I would have thought possible.

Gathering me to his chest, he held me tight while he stroked by back, each stroke getting closer to the top of my jeans. I closed my eyes. He said he wanted to undress me, he never said anything about me undressing him the old fashioned way. I felt his chuckle before I heard it, but better than that, I could feel his naked chest against my breasts.

I felt his hands moving between us and popping open the button on my jeans, I heard the zipper slowly being opened.

"Hey, you cheated!" He'd removed my jeans without slipping them down my legs. "I knew you could do that with bras, I didn't know you could do it with other things as well."

"Sweetheart, you've still got a lot to learn about me."

"I hope it's all good."

"Definitely."

"Smug bastard." I playfully slapped his arm. Moving over to the bed, I laid down and pulled him with me. I decided I'd waited long enough and I removed the rest of our clothes. I realized I'd done it without closing my eyes this time. I was getting better at this.

Diesel lay between my legs and I could feel his erection pressing against me, but not entering. I looked up into his smiling eyes and emptied my mind of all thought except those of him. And then I felt him. Just like I'd done with Ranger that night on surveillance in his truck. I was part of him and he was part of me.

I lifted my hips trying to encourage Diesel to enter me. I needed him to fill my body just like he was filling my mind. I kept gazing into Diesel's eyes. "Please." He knew what I meant and slowly pushed into me. His love was all encompassing. There was love, trust, friendship, tenderness and loyalty. I felt all this just like I could feel his penis moving inside me.

He was making love to me with mind as well as his body. He knew I was in his mind and he reveled in it. Loving me with his thoughts. I could feel that I was close but I wanted him to come with me. I wanted to feel his mind as he was coming. "D, come with me. Let yourself go. Let me feel you."

He stepped up the pace of his thrusts and then I felt it. Both my orgasm and his. Together it was like a blinding white light that just went on and on.

When I could breathe again I found I was trembling. What I had just experienced had been so profound that I couldn't help but cry. The tears just slipped out and back into my hair. Diesel kissed me gently on my lips.

"I love you, Diesel. It doesn't get much better than this. It can't. I don't think I could survive many orgasms like that."

Diesel laughed and spun us over so that I was sprawled on top of him. "Steph, trust me, our life together is going to get a whole lot better than this."

**End**


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